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Sembawang Camp

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Whose ghostly laughter echoes through Sembawang Camp? Is it the spirits of British officers and their families, enjoying a film at the old cinema, or perhaps a mischievous echo from the Seng Fatt Hairdressing Salon? Sembawang Camp, once known as HMS Terror, stands as a silent sentinel to Singapore’s layered past. This sprawling camp, nestled between the Senoko industrial area and Sembawang Shipyard, wasn’t always a military installation. It began as housing for Royal Navy officers’ families, complete with amenities designed for leisure and relaxation. Imagine a bygone era, where the mess hall buzzed with chatter, children splashed in the swimming pool, and the cinema flickered with the latest moving pictures. Mr. Chew Chong Kuan, a former Chief of the Naval Diving Unit, reminisced about the Seng Fatt Hairdressing Salon, a hub not only for haircuts but also for snacks, laundry, and even tailoring. Sembawang Camp’s architecture reflects its nautical roots. The residential quarters and barrack blocks were designed to capture cooling sea breezes and mimic the layout of a ship. This clever design offered a taste of home for the sailors far from their own shores. Sembawang Camp later became the RSN’s first Midshipman School and is now largely occupied by the Naval Diving Unit. Trainees still reside in the old colonial blocks, a tangible link to the past. Even the parade square whispers stories, bearing the faded markings of the Royal Navy crest, a testament to its British origins. This camp is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a repository of memories, a place where the echoes of laughter and the whispers of history intertwine, reminding us of Sembawang Camp’s vibrant past.

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